Arch support



Jan. 3, 1928.

E. R, LOWEY' ARCH SUPPORT Files; May 23, 1927 mm mm WIIII/I/I/II/I/I/II/III/I/I/l abhor/mm Patented Jan. 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFF-ica,

EDWARD R. LOWEY, or HUNTINGTON, INDIANA.

ARCH snrr'onr.

Application filed ivia ea,

The present invention relates to improvements in. arch supports, and has for an obect to provide, in a shoe structure, a built-in device, installed during the manufacture of the shoe, for the correction and cure of arch to provide a. ventilated inner sole for the shoe, a rigid arch supporting shank, and a rubber cushion combined tosecure absolute support of the arch of the foot with comfortable, healthful and restful reactionin walking. The construction is such as to produce ease and comfort and'consequently health and reduces greatly tiring effectv in walking and minimizes tired, hot and swelled feet due to the lack of ventilation and proper support;

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a top plan View of an inner sole and arch support constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the same with parts broken away.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 in Figure 1.-

Figure 4 is a transverse sectiontaken on the line 4-4 also in Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the rubber cushion employed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 6 designates generally an inner sole of conventional form made preferably of sole leather, flexible split or heavy chrome retan, and adapted to be united with other parts of the shoe in the customary manner. This insole is modified according to the present invention by the provision of numerous small perforations 7 occuring at the intermediate or arch portion of the inner 1927. Serial No. 193,529.

sole. These perforations are intended for the passage of air to the foot-and for, the ventilation of the shoe generally. These perforations maybe provided in any suitable numbers and maybe extended asfar forwardly and rearwardly of the insole as desired, it. being understood that the perforations maybe of any required diameter.

Beneath theperforated intermediate arch portion ,of the inner sole 6 is disposed a metal shank stiffener 8 of comparatively narrow width as compared with the inner sole and being relatively thin,as shown in Figurefl; The shank stiffener is'preferably made from thin steel bent up slightly, as in (heated in Figure 3, to cause the bulging upwardly of the intermediate perforated part of the inner sole to conform to the arch of the foot and to support the foot throughout-Q The perforations produced in the intermediate portion of the insole will permit of a 'in'ore ready flexing of this portion of the inner sole upwai'dly and the inner sole \vill'thus be enabled to follow more closely the'contour of the arch and also the contour of the upper convex surface of the metallic shank 8. The shank is preferably secured to the sole at its forward end by a'nail, rivet or other fastening 9, which is substantially centrally disposed while the rear end of the shank which is provided with the central notch 10 is secured by the nails, rivets or other fastening'sll and 12 also to the under side of the inner sole 6. The purpose of the notch 10 is to allow for the bottom fill-er to go into this notch, keeping the shank from slipping forward or backward if the rivets do not hold.

The front edge of the shank 8 is preferably riveted, as at 9, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and there are also preferably provided two longitudinal ribs'13 and 14 traversing a major portion of the length of the shank 8 to opposite sides of the longitudinal center thereof, these ribs terminating short of both forward and rear ends of the shank and being preferably formed by displacing the material of the shank downwardly or away from the inner sole 6, as shown in Figure 4.

Below the shank stiffener 8 is a rubber mat 15 having a smooth upper surface and a lower longitudinally corrugated surface 16, the crests of the corrugations preferably being sharp to rest on the out-sole of the shoe, while the upper surface of the mat is preferably roughened to take against the corrugations 13 and lland the other portions of the shank stiffener 8. The mat T5 is preferably wider than the shank to permit the mat to enter the space between the ribs 13- and 1% of the shank 8 and to lie againstopposite side portions of the shank and also possibly against the side portions of the inner sole.

The forward end of the mat 15 may be secured bythe fastening 9 to the shank and inner sole. It will ordinarily not be necessary to fasten the back of the mat as this will be held in place by the adjacent parts of the shoe.

The device is built into the shoe during its manufacture and is concealed between the inner and outer soles, so that the only visual impression gained of the invention is the perforated portion of the inner sole, which is not conspicuous. This intermediate perf0- rated portion of the inner role is held up- *ardly from the outer sole by the action of the curved steel shank 8 and thus this perforated portion permits of the interchange of air above and below the inner sole and the complete ventilation of the foot, the movement of air being furthered by the longitudinal channels in the upper portions of the downwardly pressed ribs 13 and 14. The steel shank stiffener 8 will tend to retain its curved form against the pressure put upon it by the weight of the foot and wearer of the shoe, but such shank stiffener 8, due to .the inherent resiliency of the metal, will yield within limits to permit of a proper conforimition of shank and insole to the arch of the particular foot, while supporting that arch throughout. The comparatively rigid shank stiffener 8 will be stiffened by the reinforcing ribs 13 and Li, which, however, will permit of resiliency within limits and permit the shank stiffener 8 to be made of very thin steel, which will secure the conformation to the natural arch referred to.

At the same time the impression received by the foot will not be one of rigid support owing to the presence of the rubber mat 15 beneath the comparatively rigid steel shank stifie 'ior 8. The longitudinal corrugations 16 will pern'ut of compression and flattening as the wearer walks and these corrugations in addition to the resilient body of the mat will react pleasantly upon the wearer, While at the same time the steel shank is imparting thorough and proper support to the arch otthe foot. The healthful condition of the foot is thus pron'ioted by its proper comparatively rigid support, by at the same time its resilient support to prevent any reaction upon the nerves of the comparatively rigid support, and thirdly by its complete and healthful ventilation.

\Vhen the shoe is in use, the foot is ventilated, as follows:

The airfron'i the outside can easily enter around the foot beneath the arch of the foot and this air passes through the holes in the innersole and as the pressure is placed on each foot when walking, the action is the same as a bellows and there is a circulation of the air from beneath the innersole to the sole of the foot as the wearer walks.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

lVhat is claimed is 1. An arch support for shoes comprising an inner sole having an intermediate perforated shank portion, a comparatively rigid shank arch supporting member beneath the perforated shank of the inner sole, and a resilient mat placed beneath said arch supporting member.

2. An arch support for shoes comprising an arch supporting comparatively rigid shank adapted to be placed beneath the shank of an inner sole, and a resilient mat placed beneath said arch supporting shank and having a body portion with roughened upper surface to engage the shank and ribs thereof and having a lower longitudinal corrugated portion with the corrugations running longitiulinally, said mat being wider than the shank.

EDlVAR-D R. LOWE Y. 

